Spark arrester



Patented Mar. 31, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcE SPARK ARRESTER Edwin C. Weisgerber, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application August 2, 1940, Serial No. 350,041

(Cl. 18S- 21) 3 Claims.

This invention relates generally to devices for arresting or entrapping sparks, soot, carbon particles and the like found in the exhaust gases or smoke of combustion.

There are many instances where it is desirable to have a device adapted to arrest or entrap sparks in the interests of safety to reduce fire hazards. I am aware that many various types of spark arresters have been used in connection with railroad locomotives, furnaces, boilers and the like, and, although the spark arrester of this invention is suitable for such use, it is particularly designed for use in connection with Diesel engines, it being well known that there is an imperfect combustion in the operation of Diesel engines and as a consequence the exhaust gases carry entrapped therein minute particles of red hot carbon, soot and sparks.

It is a primary object of this invention to provide a new and improved spark arrester device suitable for use in removing sparks, soot and the like from exhaust gases issuing from engines, machines, furnaces or the like Where there is imperfect combustion.

Spark arresters with which I am familiar are not suitable for use in connection with Diesel engines either because 'they are not designed to -withstand the pressures of the flow of the exhaust gases or in that they throw or create a considerable or excessive back pressure on the engine. Therefore, it is a particular object to provide a spark arrester suitable for use in the exhaust conduit of internal combustion engines,

particularly Diesel engines, which will not cause an excessive or objectionable back pressure on the engine.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a spark arrester which also acts as a muming device for the exhaust gases.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a spark arrester which embodies means for rendering safe explosive or inflammable gases.

It is a further object to provide means for maintaining the housing of the device at a safe temperature to prevent the igniting of inflammable material which may come in contact with the device.

These and other objects will be apparent from the drawings and the following description. Referring to the drawings, which are for illustrative purposes only- Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of a spark arrester and muler embodying a form of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of part of the device of Fig. 1 on line 2-2 of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation on line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is an elevation partly in section of a spark arrester embodying another form of the invention;

Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation of a spark arrester embodying another form of the invention; and

Fig. 6 is a top plan view of the device of Fig. 5.

More particularly describing the invention, reference numeral I I generally indicates a housing means which is provided with an inlet openlng I2 and an outlet opening I3. The housing means II is generally rectangular in cross section and provides what will be termed a spark arresting and mufller chamber I4. The housing means II also includes a projecting portion I5 providing a soot receiving chamber, or catch box, I6 for the reception of the solid particles removed from the kgases owing through the device. To provide accessibility to the interior of this chamber a removable plate I1 is provided which may be secured in place in any manner as for example by the bolts I8.

Intermediate the inlet and outlet are positioned a plurality of bailles 2li which are preferably arranged obliquely with relation to the general direction of the inflowing gas as it enters through the opening I2. The spark arrester device is designed to be installed in vertical position as shown in the drawings and the bailles are thus inclined.

The baflles may be described as trough members and are preferably arranged in banks as best illustrated in Fig. 3, the individual trough members of alternate banks being oppositely disposed. In other words, referring to Fig. 3, the two trough members 2l making up the lower bank are in normal upright position while the trough member 22 and trough segment members 23 making up the second bank are inverted. In this connection in the form of the invention shown, the width of the spark arrester device is relatively narrow and there is insuiiicient room to accommodate a plurality lof the inverted trough members 22 and for this Vreason the trough segment members 23 are utilized at the sides. It is within the scope of the invention to utilize as' many of the trough members in any bank as desired.

The lower ends of the upright trough members 2| extend through openings 25 in the wall section 26 forming a part of the housing means II and terminate within the soot receiving cham ber I6. The upper ends of all of the trough members are secured to the rear wall 2l of the housing means Any suitable means may be provided for mounting the trough members in the housing means and no particular means has been shown.

Preferably the trough members are V-shaped in cross section and in practice it has been found that if the two sides of the trough members are disposed at an angle of approximately 90 the members are particularly elicient for the purpose designed.

In the operation of the device, the exhaust gas, smoke, or the like enters through opening I2 and ows toward the outlet I3. When the gas meets the first bank of trough members it is divided into sheeted streams which are deflected against the inverted trough members of the second bank. To escape to the outlet I3 the gas must then reverse its direction of flow and now downwardly below the lower lips of the inverted trough members 22 and 23. This sudden change in the direction of the gas causes it to give up or lose a large percentage of the entrapped solid particles in accordance with the law of linear deflection. Such solid particles of soot and the like as are removed from the gas at this point drop down into the trough members 2| and tend to gravitate into the soot receiving chamber I6. After the gas has flowed into the second bank of trough members, that is the inverted trough members 22-23 and reversed its direction, it flows downwardly and escapes below the lower margins of these members and proceeds upwardly between the upper surfaces of such members and the next adjacent row of normal or upright trough members in the form of a plurality of sheeted streams. Again the gases are deflected by the next row of inverted trough members and the process is repeated as described in connection with the rst mentioned bank of inverted trough members. It is of course within the scope of the invention to provide as many banks of baiiies as conditions warrant.

In Fig. 4 there is shown another form of the invention which embodies basically the same elements as found in the previously described form of the invention and in addition thereto includes means for delivering liquid, such as water, to the upright or normally disposed bafe members 2|. The parts of the device of Fig. 4 which are the same as shown in Figs. 1-3 bear the same reference numerals as in the rst iigures. Thus, reference numeral I I generally indicates the housing means which forms a spark arresting and muiiler chamber I4 provided with the inlet I2 and outlet I3. Inside of this chamber are the obliquely disposed baffle members 23. In this form of the invention the housing means is provided with an addition or supplemental housing portion 3D which forms a liquid reservoir chamber 3|. A plurality of apertures 32 are provided in the wall section 21 which are located respectively immediately above and within the angle formed by the normally disposed trough members 2| 'Ihus any liquid iiowing from the chamber 3| through the apertures 32 will be delivered into the upper ends of the trough members and may flow down such members. In this form of the invention an overflow pipe 33 is provided for the chamber I6 to prevent liquid rising above the point at which it might enter chamber |4.

In order to provide the chamber 3| with water,

a long pipe 35 is provided which extends through the upper wall 3B of the means forming the chamber 3| and down through the chamber to a point near the lower end of the device. Mounted in the lower end of the means forming the chamber 3| is another pipe indicated by reference numeral 36 which encloses the lower portion of the pipe 35. At its lower end this pipe 35 is provided with any suitable closure member 3l, The upper end of the pipe 35 is provided with a funnel 38 and valve 39. Vlith this construction in order to ll the chamber 3|, it is necessary to introduce suiiicient liquid to ll the pipes 35 and 36' and by providing the pipe 35' and the elongated ller pipe 35 any sudden high pressures of exhaust gases in the chamber I4 will not result in forcing the liquid out of the chamber 3|.

By introducing water into the baffles 2|, when these become hot through the passage of the hot exhaust gases through the device, the water is converted into steam which reduces or eliminates any possibility of the igniting of the vapors passing through the device should they be inflammable or explosive.

In Figs. 5 and 6 there is shown another form of the invention in which there is provided a housing means generally indicated by numeral 40 which forms a spark arrester and muffler chamber 4| having an inlet 42 and an outlet 43. In this chamber are mounted the bailles 2i) in a manner heretofore described in connection with the form of the invention shown in Figs. 1 and 2. 'Ihe housing also provides a scot receiving chamber 4| having a door or removable plate 43. The major portion of the housing means forming the chamber 4| is surrounded by a jacketing chamber 44 which extends around the entire chamber 4| except in the region of the chamber 4I at the front ci the device. At this point the chamber 44 only encloses the upper end portion of the chamber 4| as indicated at 44. The purpose of this jacketing chamber is to provide a means of keeping the housing at a sufiiciently low temperature to prevent any rire hazards where the device may be contacted by or operated close to inflammable material. This jacketing chamber may be supplied with a suitable liquid such as water by means of a iill pipe 46 having a suitable funnel 47 and valve t8. A valved drain 49 is provided.

At the upper ends of the baffle elements 2| the wall section 50 is apertured at 5| to provide communicating passages for the escape of liquid into the baiile members for the purposes hereinabove described in connection with the form of the invention shown in Fig. 4. Preferably a minor reservoir 52 is provided in the upper end of this jacketing chamber by the provision of the wall means 53.

It is contemplated that various modications and changes can be made in the devices disclosed without departing from the scope ci the invention, and it is intended to cover such changes as fairly come within the scope of the claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a spark arrester and muler: a housing providing a spark arresting and muffler chamber having an inlet at its lower end and an outlet at its upper end, and providing a soot receiving chamber at one side and a liquid reservoir chamber at the opposite side; a plurality of inclined trough members mounted in said housing between said inlet and said outlet arranged in banks in staggered overlapping relation, certain of said trough members being normally disposed and others being inverted, the lower ends of said normally disposed trough members terminating in said soot receiving chamber; means providing communication between the upper ends of said normally disposed trough members and said liquid reservoir chamber; and means for supplyingliquid to said liquid reservoir chamber.

2. In a spark arrester and muffler: a housing providing a spark arresting and mufller chamber having an inlet at its lower end and an outlet at its upper end, and providing a soot receiving chamber at one side and a jacketing chamber Isurrounding a substantial portion of the housing means forming the spark arresting and muler chamber including the sidethereof opposite to said soot receiving chamber; a plurality of inclined trough members mounted in said housing between said inlet and said outlet arranged in banks in staggered overlapping relation, certain of said trough members being normally disposed and others being inverted, the lower ends of said normally disposed trough members terminating in said soot receiving chamber; means providing communication between the upper ends of said normally disposed trough members and said jacketing chamber; and means for supplying said jacketing chamber with liquid.

3. In a spark arrester and muffler, a housing providing a spark arresting and muler chamber having an inlet at its lower end and an outlet at its upper end, and providing a soot receiving chamber at one side and a jacketing chamber surrounding a substantial portion of the housing means forming the spark arrester and muier chamber including the side thereof opposite to said soot receiving chamber; a plurality of inclined trough members mounted in said housing between said inlet and outlet arranged in banks in staggered overlapping relation, the individual trough members of alternate banks being normally disposed and the individual trough members of the remainder of said banks being inverted, the 1ower ends of said normally disposed trough members terminating in said soot receiving chamber; means providing communication between the upper ends of said normally disposed trough members and said jacketing chamber; wall means forming an open topped reservoir chamber in said jacketing chamber and immediately adjacent the means providing communication between the upper ends of the normally disposed trough members and said jacketing chamber; and means for supplying said jacketing chamber with liquid.

EDWIN C. WEISGERBER. 

